Spirituality and Counseling Resources

There is some thematic overlap with other recommended reading lists on this site; however, this list of books focuses more directly on the topic of spiritually sensitive counseling. Research suggests that most people in one way or another identify with spiritual or religious concerns, and yet therapists often struggle with how to address spiritual concerns in therapy. The first step in being able to offer spiritually sensitive counseling is a sound base of knowledge in spirituality and religion. Hence, these books offer a diverse range of spiritual (including atheist and agnostic) and religious perspectives. There are texts from the disciplines of both religion and psychology, comparative religion, autobiographies, collections of sacred texts, liberal and progressive perspectives, and minority spiritual perspectives. For some of these books, the title describes what the book is about, for others I offer a brief description.

Answer to Jobby Carl JungAPA Handbook of Psychology, Religion, and Spirituality by Kenneth I. Pargament ­—A helpful publication by the American Psychological Association; Dr. Pargament is a leader in the field of research in spiritually integrative counseling.At Hell's Gate: A Soldier's Journey from War to Peace by Claude Anshin Thomas —A powerful story of how a Vietnam Veteran became an ordained Zen priest and peace advocate.The Baha'i Faith: An Introduction by Gloria FaiziBelieving: An Historical Perspectiveby William Cantwell Smith —Dr. Smith, a Professor Emeritus of the Comparative History of Religion at Harvard, provides a review for the history of religious believing in the bible.Black Elk Speaks: Being the Life Story of a Holy Man of the Oglala Sioux by John NeidhardtA Black Theology of Liberation by James Cone “Buddhism: it’s Chic, but they could have it Wrong” is an essay by Dr. Akihiko Masuda who teaches at Georgia State. —This essay is from Psychology’s War on Religion edited by Cummings, O’Donohue, & Cummings. This text is written by psychologists criticizing the discipline of psychology’s approach to religion. While this text has generally been strongly critiqued by peer-reviewed journals, the essay by Dr. Masuda presents a compelling discussion. While there may be some inaccuracies in this text as a whole, it does point to a historically challenged dialogue between psychology and religion. And Dr. Masuda’s essay has been widely praised in peer reviewed journals and is a must read for anyone interested in mindfulness and psychology.

Buddhism without Beliefs: A contemporary guide to awakening by Stephen Batchelor.—Batchelor draws upon ancient Buddhist texts and traditional Buddhist philosophy to articulate a moving explication of Buddhism that is congruent with secular approaches to living.

Dying with Dignity by Hans Kung and Walter Jens—An influential theologian discusses euthanasia.Encountering God: A Spiritual Journey from Bozeman to Banarasby Diana L. Eck—The Harvard professor and pioneer in comparative religion discusses her own spiritual journey.Faith in the Neighborhood: Loss by Lucinda Allen Mosher. —Dr. Mosher offers a thoughtful discussion of how different religions deal with grief. I was interviewed for this text, discussing Zen Buddhism.The Good Book by Peter Gomes. —The former pastor of Harvard University's Memorial Church and a professor of theology discusses the bible in relation to topics such as gay rights, feminist thought, and race relations.Gethsemani Encounter: A Dialogue on the Spiritual Life by Buddhist and Christian Monastics by James Wiseman and Donald MitchellGod Is Not One: The Eight Rival Religions That Run the World by Stephen Prothero —A powerful text by a contemporary scholar of comparative religion.God's Fool: The Life of Francis of Assisi by Julien GreenThe Golden Bough: A Study in Magic and Religion by James George FrazerThe Gnostic Gospels by Elaine PagelsGraceful Exits: How Great Beings Die by Sushila Blackman —A moving account of how people died utilizing the wisdom of many Asian traditions.A Grief Observed by C.S. Lewis —The writer and noted Christian apologist shares his own thoughtful journey with grief.Hidden Spring: a Buddhist Woman Confronts Cancer by Sandy BoucherHow Can I Help? by Ram Dass and Paul GormanJohn Paul II and Interreligious Dialogue by Byron L. SherwinLearning to Fall: The Blessings of an Imperfect Life by Philip Simmons —Simmons was a young, married father, and literature professor when he learned he had ALS. He offers a thoughtful personal exploration of dying and how he integrated different spiritual traditions.Lessons from the Dying by Rodney Smith —A former Buddhist monk discusses working with people who are terminally ill.Let Someone Hold You: The Journey of a Hospice Priest by Paul MorrisseyThe Little Book of Atheist Spirituality by Andre Comte-Sponville —This text is a welcome antidote to the heated debates between religious believers and atheist thinkers. This contemporary philosopher offers a compassionate explanation of why he is atheist, his own views on death, and how he finds meaning and considers himself spiritual without believing in God or the afterlife.

Liquid Life: Abortion and Buddhism in Japan by William R. LaFleur—This text is written by a researcher of Buddhism, but it's subject matter is often of interest to a much wider audience. LaFleur discusses a Buddhist ritual in Japan that honors the challenges of people who have abortions and stillborn children. These Buddhist rituals acknowledge the challenges of abortion without becoming ensnared in debates which often engulf people in the U.S. This text also provides a window into Japanese culture.The Meanings of Death and The Problems of Suffering in Religions of the World both by John Bowker —John Bowker is an ordained minister and also a leading academically trained scholar of comparative religion. Myths to Live By by Joseph CampbellMystics and Zen Masters by Thomas Merton —Merton was a Roman Catholic contemplative who engaged in thoughtful dialogue with Zen and other traditions.Night by Elie Wiesel —As a graduate student, I studied with Professor Wiesel. This text is a classic.No Death, No Fear by Thich Nhat Hanh —Thay, as his students call him, is a leading teacher of Zen and mindfulness. He is also a noted poet and peace activist. In the beginning of this text he shares his own journey with grief when his mother died.The Quantum and the Lotus: A Journey to the Frontiers Where Science and Buddhism Meet by Matthieu Ricard and Trinh Xuan Thuan —Matthieu Ricard trained as a molecular biologist, and worked in the lab of a Nobel prize-winning scientist, he then was ordained as a Tibetan Buddhist monk and now translates for His Holiness the Dalia Lama. There are many rich dialogues between scientific disciplines and Buddhism, and this is a helpful text in this dialogue.Religion and the Body edited by Sarah Coakley —Dr. Coakley was a professor of mine at Harvard. She now teaches at Oxford. A leading theologian and an ordained minister, this is an insightful collection of essays of how different religions discuss ideas related to our bodies and lives.Reason for Hope: A Spiritual Journey by Jane GoodallReligious Autobiographies by Gary L. Comstock —A professor of comparative religion offers abridged autobiographies of different religious perspectives.Religion and the Clinical Practice of Psychology by Edward Shafranske. —A helpful publication by the American Psychological Association.

Religion for Atheists: A Non-believer's Guide to the Uses of Religion by Alain de Botton —Debates between atheists and religious believers tend to be heated and sometimes counterproductive. This book is not in that predictably acrimonious pattern. Here de Botton explains why he is not a religious believer, yet encourages people who are atheist or agnostic to recognize some of the valuable roles religion has played throughout history. In the process, de Botton calls for an atheism that recognizes the importance of meaning, compassion, and community building—all without traditional religious beliefs.

Religion in Personality Theory by Frederick Walborn—Published by Academic Press, this book illuminates the theory and research of religion and personality. This text also discusses leaders in the field of psychology such as Sigmund Freud, Carl Jung, Karen Horney, Abraham Maslow, and Viktor Frankl, and concludes with a psychological theory of spirituality and religion.

Sacred Texts of the World: A Universal Anthology edited by Ninian Smart and Richard Hecht —Ninian Smart is a must-read for anyone interested in comparative religion.Sleeping, Dreaming, and Dying: an Exploration of Consciousness with His Holiness the Dalai Lama edited by Francisco VarelaThe Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down by Ann Fadiman —A frequently cited, and powerfully written, text about how spiritual and cultural diversity sometimes clash with our healthcare system.Spiritually Oriented Psychotherapy edited by Len Sperry and Edward P. Shafranske. —A helpful publication by the American Psychological Association.Surviving Death: A Practical Guide to Caring for the Dying and Bereaved by Rev. Charles Meyer —This Christian minister and healthcare administrator was a leader in the end-of-life movement. He talks about end-of-life decision-making and also topics that are practical, but often neglected, such as his chapter entitled “Sex After Death” for people who have lost a partner.Tuesdays with Morrie: An Old Man, a Young Man, and Life’s Greatest Lesson by Mitch Albom—A moving, and much read, text. Morris Schwartz utilized many spiritual traditions in addition to his own Judaism. He was a devoted Vipassana (mindfulness) meditation practitioner and offers a moving definition of the Budhist idea of detachment.Transforming Vision: Explorations in Feminist Theology by Elisabeth Schussler Fiorenza—This Harvard professor is a leader in feminist theology.Voodoo: Search for the Spirit by Laennec HurbonWaiting for God by Simone Weil—A classic text in religious mysticism.When Bad Things Happen to Good People by Rabbi Harold S. KushnerWhen Things Fall Apart by Pema Chodron — Pema Chodron’s texts are appreciated by Buddhists and non-Buddhists.Why Christianity Must Change or Die by John Shelby Spong —I studied with Rev. Spong when he was a visiting scholar at Harvard. He is a leader in non-theistic Christianity.